reform efforts

Greece was upbraided at a recent meeting for not pushing faster on privatization and tax overhauls amid fears of market contagion for other euro zone members.

Even if Goldman Sachs successfully defends itself against fraud charges, the mortgage-related case has added to momentum for broad new regulation over Wall Street transactions.

As lawmakers in cash-strapped states wrestled this year with revenues that kept on falling, both campaign promises and long-standing reform efforts got pushed to the side.

There just wasn't enough time or money to expand health care or improve education — or, in Rhode Island, finally get around to banning indoor prostitution — while also passing a budget.